Founded in 1920, American Legion Post 240 was named Ammon Turnbow Post 240. Ammon Turnbow , a Marine, died on 1 November 1918, just ten days before the Armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany on November 11, 1918. His death resulted from being hit by German machine gun fire during the Meuse-Argonne battle, the last great battle of World War I. He was a former student at John Tarleton C
ollege located in Stephenville, TX. His body was returned to America and interred at Turnbow Cemetery near the community of Alexander located a few miles southeast of Stephenville, TX. On July 24, 1947, the Post name was changed to Turnbow-Higgs Post 240. This was in honor of all servicemen killed in WWII and specifically for John Fielding Higgs, son of Rufus F. Higgs, one of the founders and long-time publisher of The Empire-Tribune. John graduated from Stephenville High School and Tarleton College. He was a student at Texas University when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. A B-17 Bomber pilot, he was killed on a mission over Germany and was buried in France. His body was later brought to Stephenville for reburial. The founding members of American Legion Turnbow-Higgs Post 240 were Harry A. Baker (The First Commander), E. Blanchard (The First Adjutant), Joe E. Clements, Harold E. Curtis, P. Davis, E. Frey, Ben Higginbotham, Nick Higginbotham, Thurman Higginbotham, Rufus Higgs, W. Main, M. Morrow, Lonnie D. Pickard, Sam M. Russell, T. Tidwell and Alden S. Young. One of the founding members, Rufus Higgs, was the longtime publisher of the local newspaper, The Empire-Tribune. Another founding member, Sam Russell, would later serve as a District Attorney and U.S. Congressman. The Employment Agency portion of The King and Neblett building located at the junction of Washington & Belknap streets on the northwest corner of The Stephenville Courthouse Square was Post 240’s first meeting place. In the mid-thirties, Post 240 Membership decided it was time they had their own meeting place. Money pledged by Post 240 members, coupled with a working arrangement and assurances from The NYA/WPA , the new construction project was begun. The project received a big boost when Post 240 members H.D. Dacus and W.A. Beene contacted a Mr. Cantrell of Santo and persuaded him to donate the present site of the Legion building. Plans for the new Post 240 building were drawn by architect Wyatt C. Hedrick of Fort Worth and Construction was supervised by Kenneth Stephens of Dublin. The Post borrowed several loads of lumber from a Bastrop mill and construction was well underway when a NYA cost estimate engineer came seeking payment for lumber that was already a part of the structure. He informed Post members that the original estimated cost of $3000 would actually cost $6500. Post members sympathized with the NYA but it is believed NYA was held to its original estimate as construction continued unabated with the full co-operation of NYA. According to a Past Commander, J.W. Clements, "We actually stole a few loads of lumber." Post Construction was completed in 1940. With $1500 still due on the building, Post Commander, Emmett Moon (A former County School Superintendent and Postmaster of Stephenville) proposed a $50 pledge by as many Post 240 members as possible. Response by members enabled the debt to be finally retired. The final actual cash out-lay for the original building is estimated to be $6500 which does not include labor furnished by the NYA, land furnished by Mr. Cantrell and plans furnished by Wyatt Hedrick. Four local young members of the NYA who worked on the building during its construction would soon become Post 240 Legionnaires. Three are now deceased, Marvin Leatherman, Paul Darnell and I.G. Willis. The fourth is Past Commander John B. Rogers, still active in the Post (2013) and currently serving on the Honor Guard team as the bugler. Very little repair was made to the building from 1940 to 1991. Neglect and decay over a half-century of time had taken its toll to the extent that the building was in danger of being lost. A building renovation fund raising drive, initiated and led by Lifetime member Brad Thompson, began in September 1991.. The Stephenville community responded magnanimously and all necessary repairs were made including renovation of the kitchen. The cost was approximately $50,000 which was some $43,500 more than the original cost of the building. Historically, Post 240 sponsored many events and programs such as; American Legion Babe Ruth Baseball; Free Barbecues (serving thousands of needy people over an extended period of time); Child Welfare Program; Post 240 Rub-Board Band; Community Play; Boy Scout Troops; Outstanding Student Awards; and many other community programs and projects. In the early days, before the days of American Legion Baseball, Post 240 had its own baseball team, successfully competing with other teams throughout the area. Post 240 proudly sponsored a Golden Gloves boxing team during the years immediately following WWII. Many young men, "fought for the Legion," including Roy Harris, who later fought Floyd Patterson for the Heavyweight Championship of the world, and Archie Heathington who was later Texas Department Commander of The American Legion. Currently, Post 240 community sponsored events and American Legion programs are; Boys & Girls State; High School Oratorical contest; Nursing Home Veterans Visitation Program; Honor Guard; Military Funeral Honors; Flag Day, Memorial Day and Veterans Day Ceremonies. The two most notable Post sponsored events receiving the most publicity have been Veterans Day (formerly Armistice Day) and Memorial Day Programs. Turnbow-Higgs American legion Post 240 has presented The Veterans Day Program on the Erath County Courthouse Square Every year since Post 240 was first organized and chartered in 1920.
